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Now this will be interesting. Cadillac‘s new ATS has BMW‘s iconic 3 Series squarely in its sights and, for the first time in history, the scenario is not merely the febrile imagination of some Kool-Aid-swilling GM marketing guy working overtime. Put the new baby Caddy and BMW’s latest F30 iteration of the 3 Series side-by-side, and the two cars are — on paper, at least — remarkably close.

Package
In terms of overall length, width, and height, the two cars are within fractions of an inch of each other. The ATS is three-tenths of an inch longer than the new 3 Series, but a tenth lower overall and three-tenths narrower. The single biggest dimensional difference between the two is in the wheelbase — at 110.6 inches, the new 3 Series boasts 1.3 inch more between the wheels. Cadillac engineers have worked extremely hard to maximize interior space — the ATS has some of the thinnest seats ever put in a GM car — but with more real estate to start with, the BMW has the edge in rear seat room.

Result: Advantage 3 Series.

Design
Neither car is particularly adventurous. Sheetmetal on both is evolutionary, not revolutionary, with each retaining predictable corporate design cues. Drawing the headlight glass right into the grille is perhaps the most controversial aspect of the new 3 Series, while the decklid bustle on the ATS could be seen as an ironic hat-tip to Chris Bangle (though in truth it has more to do with managing airflow around the car — the ATS has a lower drag coefficient than the F30). The Caddy looks like a baby CTS in photos, but in the metal has a much more muscular form and aggressive stance. Inside, the ATS is more overtly decorated, with unique patterns on the aluminum inserts, splashes of chrome, and touch-sensitive switches on the gloss-black center console.

Result: Draw

Engines
The ATS will launch with three powertrains, while U.S.-spec versions of the F30 will initially only be available with two. Both cars will offer buyers the choice of four- or six-cylinder power. The 2.5-liter, 200-hp naturally aspirated Generation II Ecotec four really only exists to give the ATS an entry-level car with a price tag in the low $30,000 range. BMW’s entry-level engine for the U.S.-spec 3 Series will be a 2.0-liter turbo with 240 hp and 255 lb-ft of torque; Cadillac’s retort is the new Gen II Ecotec with 270 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque — outputs that have raised eyebrows in Munich.

Top engines — for now — are the 318-hp, 3.6-liter DI V-6 in the ATS, and the 300-hp, 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six in the 3 Series. In terms of the turbo fours, the lighter Caddy looks like it’s going to have the performance advantage, but while the ATS V-6 offers more power than the BMW 3.0-liter turbo, the latter’s superior torque — 300 lb-ft versus 265 lb-ft – and refinement mean it’s likely to be the better powertrain of the two.

Result: Draw

Transmissions
Both cars will be available with manual and automatic transmissions, though ATS buyers will only be offered the DIY six-speed tranny in the 2.0T, while BMW will offer a six-speed manual with both engines. Also, the ATS automatic is only a six-speed, while the 3 Series auto is an eight-speed unit, which means quieter and more efficient running at cruising speeds. GM had an eight-speed auto under development, but the program was halted during the bankruptcy. It’s still a couple of years away.

Result: Advantage 3 Series

Chassis
Both cars feature MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension, and both have close to 50/50 front/rear weight distribution. Base FE2 suspension in ATS means 17-inch wheels and all-season tires standard. The FE2 with sport pack delivers 18-inch wheels, all-season tires, and Brembo brakes. FE3 suspension means 18-inch wheels with summer tires, Brembo brakes, next-gen MR shocks with sport and touring settings, and a limited slip differential. The BMW 328i will come standard with 17-inch wheels, while the 335i will get 18s as standard. Both cars offer 19-inch wheels as an option. ATS uses a new and highly rated ZF electronic power steering system across the range, while BMW has an optional Servotronic variable ratio system that has so far received mixed reviews. Cadillac engineers claim the E46 3 Series, still regarded by many BMW aficionados as the best of the 3-ers, was their dynamic benchmark. Despite fears the bigger F30 would be softer and less agile, early drives suggest it’s still dynamic dynamite on a winding road.

Result: Impossible to call until a comparison test.

Infotainment
The BMW 3 Series is available with the latest iteration of iDrive. The system screen is a slim, wide, immobile unit mounted centrally atop the dash, and the now-familiar combination of buttons and rotary controller remains on the center console, near the shift. The ATS is available with Cadillac’s new CUE user interface, which offers functionality and beautifully rendered graphics that not only are displayed on the center console screen, but also on the instrument panel. The Cadillac screen is mounted lower, out of eyeline in the center stack, but is cleverly hinged to reveal a storage area behind it. Both systems are perhaps unnecessarily complex, but the Cadillac’s is likely to appeal to the iPhone generation.

Result: Advantage Cadillac

On paper we’d say the F30 BMW has the edge, by a narrow margin. Our gut tells us the base 2.5-liter ATS won’t have the power, and the 3.6-liter V-6 won’t have the torque or the refinement, to match the new 3 Series. Bringing a six-speed automatic to the fray when the BMW packs an eight-speed will also impact fuel efficiency. But if GM engineers have, as they claim, developed a light and agile chassis with a buttoned-down ride and razor-sharp steering — like the iconic E46 3 Series — then the 270-hp ATS 2.0T with the six-speed manual transmission and FE3 suspension (which includes 18-inch wheels, summer tires, Brembo brakes, and limited slip differential) might just pull off an upset against a manual 240-hp 328i. We can’t wait to find out whether it can.

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